Method for flame seaming a glass sheet



Feb. 14, 1961 F.l R. HOHMANN ETAI- 2,971,294

METHOD FOR FLAME SEAMING A GLASS SHEET Original Filed Aug. 22, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 E (L 1l .v 11. A

Feb. 14, 1961 F. R. HOHMANN ETAL 2,971,294

METHOD EOE FLAME SEM/ENG A GLASS SHEET Grignal Filed Aug. 22, 1951 2v Sheets-Sheet 2 vand then the two ends are ground.

Uni-fed Swiss Patent- Frederick R. Hohmann, New Kensington, and Homer E. Neely, Jr., Tarentum, Pa.; assiguors to Pittsburgh Plate i Glass Company, a corporation of `Pennsylvania Continuation of application Ser. No. 243,148, Aug. 22

This application Mar. 8` 644,951

195,7, ser. No.

z claims. (ci. 49-11) This invention relates to a method of treating the edges of glass and particularly to the llame treatment of the peripheral edges of glass sheets.

In order to cut at glass, it is necessary to breach or score one surface by drawing a diamond or other cutting tool over the surface. Thereafter, the cut is completed by running the cut, i.e. breaking the glass along the score line by applying pressure to the scored surfaceof the glass on both sides of the score line While supporting the glass on the other surface thereof along the score line. In scoring or breaching the surface initially, the surface may develop vents running away from the score line. These vents may be small hair lines, chips, or other flaws in the glass surface. Whenthe glass is thereafter subjected to heating and cooling operations in conjunction with the bending and/or tempering thereof, the vents in the surface of the glass will open up thus causing the glass to rupture and develop cracks or shatter.

Therefore, in order to eliminate the vents at the cutV edge of the glass to prevent rupture and also to remove the sharp edges which might cause injury tothose handling the glass pieces, it has been found desirable to treat the glass so that a relatively smooth edge is presented.

Removal of the vents by smoothing the edge has become of considerable importance in the case of glass sheets, such as may be used in tempered back lights in automobiles, for after such sheets are cut to the desired shape, they are subjected to bending and tempering operations.

To remove the sharp edges of cut pieces `of glass plates, sanding or other abrasive apparatus has been used. This has been accomplished by passing the abrasive apparatus over the edges or passing the edges over a fixed sander running Wet or dry This type of manual seaming, i.e. smoothing of the rough edges by means of abrasion is a relatively slow operation and although it is partially eective in smoothing the edges, it is not always effective in eliminating the vents and other flaws which may cause the glass to rupture during bending and tem-y pering.

Automatic seamers or edge smoothers have been de` veloped in an attempt to perform the abrading operation automatically. In such seamers, the glass plate is clamped to a turntable which then passes between belt Sanders, the two sides of the glass plate are ground simultaneously The automatic seamers are relatively slow for the apparatus is not adapted to treat all the edges of the glass at one time. Furthermore, unless the edges are subjected to prolonged abrading, some vents Will remain which will cause a subsequent rupture of the glass.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a method for treating the cut edges of the glass plate pieces whereby the vents or other tlaws in the glass will be healed or sealed in, so that they cannot cause a rupture of the glass `when it is subjected to later bending and tempering operations.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a '2,911,294 Patented Feb. 14, 1981 ice y method wherein at least one edge of a glass piece may be treated as it is continuously conveyed.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a method for seaming the edges of successive glass plate pieces prior to and continuous with subsequent treatment ofthe glass plate including such treatments as bending Iand tempering. Y

T he invention includes a method for the flame seaming of at least one edge of a flat glass piece by impinging an openI llame jet against the edge to be seamed, the llame being arranged in a sheet parallel to the edge of the glass and directed against the center of said edge, the sheet effect of the ilame being achieved either by the movement of the peripheral edge of the glass across the impinging flame or by spacing a plurality of llame jets in a line such that they will produce a sheet of flame impinging against the center of an edge of the glass parallel to the plane surfaces of the plate of glass.

The apparatus in a more specific form provides a preheating zone and a means for moving the glass from the preheating zone into position so that flame jets are directed in a substantially continuous sheet against the entire peripheral edge of the piece of glass. The apparatus in` cludes a post-heating chamber and an air cooling station and may also include a bending oven, when it is desired to bend the glass pieces after the llame seaming operation.

For a more complete description of specic embodiments of the invention including several forms which the invention may take, reference is made to the drawings wherein:

` Fig. 1 is a schematic side view of one form of apparatus embodying the invention wherein the entire peripheral edge of a piece of glass may be tlame seamed;

Fig. 2 is a more detailed longitudinal sectional view of the apparatus for flame seaming the entire peripheral edge of the piece of glass;

Fig. 3 is a plan view taken along the line 3 3 in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a side view of an alternate form of apparatus for flame seaming which is illustrative of our invention.

Referring to Fig. 1, one form of apparatus for llame seaming pieces of at glass includes a loading zone 10, a preheating Zone 11 and a superposed ame seaming station 12; a connecting oven 13, a bending oven 14, an annealing oven 19, and a cooling zone 15. The several zones and stations 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 19, and 15 are spaced apart and disposed along a longitudinal path in sequential order except that the llame seaming station may be above the preheating zone 11. Pieces of flat glass 16 are moved into position in the several zonesand ovens by means of a suitable conveyor 17 and into the flame seaming station by elevating means 24 as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2.

The conveyor 17 indicated is .made up of channel frame carriage members 18 adapted Vto slide along guideways 20; the carriages 18 may be connected to each other by link members 21 having slots 22 adapted to releasably engage the upstanding transverse channel members of the carriages 18.

The glass pieces 16 are positioned on molds 23, the molds being removably positioned in the carriages 18.

iThe molds indicated in Figs. 1 and 2 may be of the hinged type which are adapted to bend the pieces of glass disposed therein to a predetermined shape defined by the upper surface 25 which extends completely about the Other suitable types of molds also may be used.

Y, riages 18 withthe mold 23 and the glass 16 are positioned as shown 'in Fig. 1 in the loading zone.

The preheating zone includes an oven'28:supported` byv suitable pillars 30 at the desired height. The oven is defined by a oor member 31, a roof mmeber 32, and suitable side members y34 parallel to the path of the conveyor through the oven; one of the side members 3 4 has path defined by the lguideways 20V of the conveyor. The

oven may be heated in any suitable manner, and, for purposes of illustration, electric heating coils 36 are shown as the heating medium.

The roof 32 is formed with a central opening 37 of sufficient size to permit a piece of glass to be raised from aV position in the oven upwardly therethrough 'into the,

llame seaming station 12 while the glass is maintained in asubstantially horizontal plane. VThe 'flame seaming station 12 includes a burner 3S, arranged above the opening 37 as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The flame seaming burner 38 comprises a pipe member 40vformed in substantially the same shape as the opening 37 of the oven, said opening and said flame seaming burner both corresponding in shape to the outer peripheral configuration of the pieces of glass 16 which are to be treated in the apparatus. 'I'he pipe member 40 is supported on the upper side 41 of the roof 32 by spacers 42.

The inner periphery of the pipe 40 is formed with a series 'of apertures 43 adapted `,to permit the flow of a 30 suitable gasand air mixture therethrough to provide llame jets of the desired size. 'I'he apertures 43l are alignedin substantially the same plane around theinner periphery of the-pipe 40.

The elevator means 24 for lifting the glass pieces into the ilameseaming station includes a vacuum chuck 45 mounted on the lower end of a piston rod 46 which may be slidably mounted in a sleeve member 47 `for`vertical movement upward and downward. An inner bore `48'isl provided in the piston rod 46 in connection with a suitable evacuating means (not shown) and connected with the suction face 50 of the vacuum chuck 45. Suitable air sealing means 51 may be provided around the suction face of the vacuum chuck. Y s

The stroke of the piston is sufficient to raise the piece of-glass k16`from the 'dotmand dash line position (zz) `in Fig. 2 through the opening 37 to the dash line position (b) in the ame seaming station 12 wherein the peripheral edges 52 of the `glass plate 16 are'in alignment with the flame jets being emitted from'the flame'seaming burner 38,. V n

The flame jets are emitted through the apertures 43 in a plane substantially parallel to the plane surfaces of the glass plate, when the later is in the flame seal-ning position, so as to direct the flame of the several jets against the center of the glass edge and parallel to the glass surfaces. v

, By way of specific example, it has beenfound that satisfactory flame seeming may be achievedwhen the llame burner apertures are No. 50 size drill holes on` 1A" centersand with the mouths ofthe respective jetsrbeing ,ap-i

proximately 1" from the edge of the glass plate to be treated.

The connecting Voven 13 comprises a chamber,v 55 dened by a roof portion 56,'a floor portion 57 andsuvitable slides 59 parallel to'the'path of the'co'nveyor. AThe'm;

ends of the connecting oven'maybecovered by ',remdvable doors as shown atthe left-hand side of theconnecting oven illustrated in Fig. 1 or they may be operi-ended and in direct connection with the preheating zone v11 and the bending oven 14. Heat will ow'into the cham- 't ber 55 of the connecting oven from the 'preheating zone 11 and from the bending oven14' so that ordinarily no additional heater is required. i

The bending oven 14 hasa chamberVV 58, Adeii'nedfby a roof portion 60, a oor portion 61"and` sides" 64. paral- -Klei toivtthe conveying path.

The oven may be suitably supported on pillars 62 as -shownin Fig. 1. `Heating means such as electric coils j-63 may be positioned ou ceiling 54 of the bending ovh to raise the temperature of the glass pieces positioned in the oven to the desired temperature. v

The annealing oven 1,9 hasa, chamber 69 defined by roofportin 70,' floor portion v71,"s`ides 72, parallel toiithe conveyor and vertically movable ends 73. Theanneal-A ing oven lwill ordinarily receive suicientheat from rthe bendingioven 14 so'that noseparate heating means 4is necessary. The annealing oven is provided inthe apparatus Ato'per'rnit 1a gradual reduction of the temperature of the" glass when an annealing process is being'used. 1

The cooling and/or tempering zone 15 comprises cooling nozzles 65 spaced above and below the path of the conveyor, the cooling nozzles being connected to a source of cool forced air by suitable means such as connecting hood 67 and pipe 66. Supporting members 68 may be v.spaced from the glass surface.

`Ascribed to flame seam the edges of the glass, and bend and temper theV glass pieces, any suitable temperatures or times of exposure may be used for such treatment. However, it hasbeep found that the` following temperatures yandtimes of exposure have produced' desirable results. Each glass piece v.16 is moved from the loading zone 10 into the preheatingkzone 1l. The zonell is maintained ata temperature 'of about 960?. After the glass piece is preheated in zone 1,1, it is picked up by the vacuum chuck'of the 'elevator means 24 and lifted into the lian-le-` seaming station {1 2. `By positioning the peripheral edge operation is produced. With natural gas rated at about After the glasshpieceis. conveyed from the bending oven g a960 B.t.u. per cu. ft., an air to gas ratio of 9.3 to 1 with the burner using approximately 46.5 cu. ft. of gas per hour per foot of lineal extent of the burner pip-e it has been found to produce satisfactory flame jets.

After holding the glass plate in the flame jets for approximately l0 to 15 seconds, the glass is lowered into the preheating zone `and held clear of the mold for about 20 seconds to permit Vhardening of the edge so as to. prevent distortion at the points where theglass contacts the mold. After replacing up-on the mold 23, the

1 glass and the supporting carriage 18 are conveyed to the' glass piece softens and sags until it conforms to the` shape defined substantially by the upper prole 25 which extends `completely about the periphery of the mold.

14sup`ported at its'speriphery` on theperipheral mold prole 25, 'itfisfsubject'ed tov rapid cooling in the zone 15, wherein the glass is tempered. Y

The cooling operation for tempering the glass will be v discussed in greater detail in connection with lan alterthe bending'step omitted, the glass is loaded on a at mold, preheated and dame seamed as vpreviously deln the bending oven, i

gorges@ scribed, and thereafter, is replaced upon the Viiat mold,

subjected to a post-heating and cooledto handling tem-I minutes and is thereafter seamed and post-heated "at` l060 F. for four minutes, it can safely be withdrawn for air cooling to handling temperature, without breaking. After the air cooling, the glass piece can be bent and tempered following standard procedure. p

When the apparatus is being used without the bending and tempering step, the oven 14 can be utilized by maintaining it at l060 F. for the post-heating of the glass. The glass will not be subjected to bending because it will be supported on the at mold'.

The cooling of the glass after it leaves the post-heating zone may be achieved by permitting the glass to return to the handling temperature by merely being exposed to the air. However, for purposes of a production line arrangement, as shown in Fig. 1, such air cooling would be impractical for it would require approximately a ten minute wait for the temperature of the glass pieces to drop from its post-heating temperature to 250 F.

It has been found that, by the positioning of air circulating fans two or three feet above and below the center of the glass piece to be cooled, the glass can be returned to the handling temperature more rapidly. In one particular case, it was found that, after allowing a two minute cooling in still air, after removal from the furnace and an additional three minute cooling between air circulating fans, the glass temperature could be reduced to 250 F.

Where a regular oscillator was used, in conjunction with air nozzles as illustrated at 15 in Fig. 1, satisfactory results were obtained when the nozzles 65 were 1/2 in diameter and on approximately 2" centers, the openings of the tubes being about 51/2" from the glass surfaces. It was found that with 1 oz. air and with oscillation, the minimum safe time before turning on was three minutes and the 250 F. temperature was reached in :a total time v of four minutes.

With the fan set to deliver air at 31/2 ozs. static pressure, and without oscillation, three minutes was again the minimum safe time, but the glass reached 250 F. after a total time of 3% minutes. Under the same conditions, with the oscillator in operation, the minimum turn-on time was 21/2 minutes and the total time to reach 250 F. was 3% minutes.

The rapid air cooling of the glass after the postheating or after the bending operations will cause `the glass to be tempered. Tempered glass is stressed so that it has great strength. It is also brittle so that, when the surface is broken, the glass will crumble into small pieces having relatively dull edges.

If the glass is not to be tempered it may be moved into the annealing oven 19 after the bending or postheating operations so that the glass may be cooled gradually. In this procedure the annealing oven is thus the only cooling area. Annealed glass has a minimum of internal stress but has less strength than tempered glass. Whether the glass is tempered or annealed after the ame seaming and bending operations depends largely upon the use to which it will be put or what subsequent operations it will be subjected to.

It will be understood that the movement of the glass pieces through the apparatus illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 may be intermittent to permit appropriate dwells at the several zones and stations. For example, at the preheating zone 11, the movement of glass along the path of the conveyor is stopped so that the elevator 24 may operate to raise each glass piece into the flame seaming station and thereafter return it to the mold. lt will also be appreciated that although the elevator means has been illustrated as a Vacuum chuck operating from above the glass piece, suitable elevator means operating from below'` the glass piece may also be used.

When the apparatus is used in a combined operation, i.e. including the bending and` tempering step, the glass piece may be supported on the bending molds at a slight angle to the horizontal plane. in such cases, suitable adjustments of the angle of the face of the vacuuml chuck and the `angle of the llame seaming burner should be made so that the respective parts are at an angle corresponding to the angle of the piece of glass. If it is not desired to change the angle of the face of the vacuum chuck, the entire elevating means may be disposed at an angle to `bring the face of the vacuum chuck into align ment with theplanar surface of the glass plate. i

The bending mold may be equipped with retractable fingers 29, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, extending from the upper surface 25 of the molds 23 to the underside of the glass pieces to prevent premature bending or sagging of the glass during the steps preceding the bending and tempering operation. The retractable fingers are moved out of position to permit the bending of the glass at any suitable time before the bending operation.

The positioning of the flame seaming station above the preheating zone, as shown in Figs. l, 2 and 3, is an example of one possible arrangement of the various stations and zones with respect to each other, and it will be appreciated that the stations may be arranged in other positions without departing from the scope of the invention.

In order to reduce heat loss through the opening 37, in the roof of the preheating oven, a heat insulating plate 49 may be fixed on the elevating means 24, so as to substantially seal the opening 37 when the elevating means is'n the normal position, indicated by the full line position shown in Fig. 2.

method of seaming a single edge of successive plate glass pieces is illustrated in Fig. 4. The alternate form may include a frame 76 on which pieces 75 are carried. The frame may consist of a lower bar member 77 and an upper bar member 78, the frame 76 being connected to an overhead tramrail 80 by trolleys 81. The trolleys are xed to the frame by nuts and bolts S2. The pieces of glass 75 to be treated are suspended from the bar 77 of the frame 76 `by holder members 83.

The apparatus includes a flame seaming station which comprises a ilame seaming burner SI5 which may be a lineal pipe member connected with suitable mixed air and gas inlet pipes 87. Apertures S3 are formed in a line.

along the top of the pipe 86.` The flame pipe 86 is supported `on frame 90 of the apparatus by adjustable screw members 91 so that the burner may be raised or lowered as desired.

Additional guide means are included in the flame seaming station to assure the continued alignment of the glass edges 92 which are to be llame seamed by flame jets from the apertures 3S disposed along the top of the flame burner So. The additional guide apparatus consists of roller guides 93 which engage guide bars 95 iiXed to the sides of the carriage 76. The function of the roller guides 93 is to steady the frame` 76.

The glass pieces 75 are maintained against lateral mis alignment by wire guides 96 stretched between upright frame members 97. The wires 96 are drawn tightly between the frame members 97 and are adapted to be in light sliding engagement with the faces of the glass pieces 75.

It has been found that a flame seaming burner of approximately 8 in length will perform the desired seaming ope-ration as the edges 92 of the glass pieces 75 are passed through the apparatus shown in Fig. 4 in the direction indicated by the arrow, the glass pieces being moved through the apparatus at the rate of inches per minute. After the dame seaming operation, the

pieces may be moved through a transfer oven, such as that shownat 98, and thereafter may be suitably postheated in oven 100. The glass pieces may then be annealed 4or tempered in any suitable manner. The transfer oven 98 and the post-heating oven 100 may be formed with a slot 101 in roof portions 102 thereof to receive the frame l76 as it is movedralong the tramrail 80. Suitable doors 103 may be provided at both ends of the post-heatingoven 100 to prevent heat losses therefrom. With the apparatus in Fig. 4, it is possible and practical to continuously'ameseam one edge of suc cessive glass pieces as they are moved'through the apparatus. This form of the apparatusis particularly useful in the flame seaming of glass lpieces such as automobile ventilator lights when itis desired to 'llame seam only one of the edges. When only one edge of the glass is to be flame seamed in the manner illustrated in Fig. 4, it is not necessary to preheat the glass for it is enveloped in heat rising from the jets 88, and the areas adjacent to the edge are sufficiently heated during the flame seaming so that no localized stresses develop which might cause the glass to crack. However, it is desirable to post-heat the entire glass piece beforeannealing or ternpering to assure that the glass piece is evenly heated throughout.

The llame seaming treatment of the sharp edges of glass pieces results in a smooth edge which may be slightly rounded at the iuncture of the edge with kthe plane surfaces of the Vglass so there is little danger of injury during the manual handling of the glass pieces. There is also -a reduction of breakage during the bending and tempering operation when the pieces ofV glass have been flame seamed because the ame seaming has the effect of softening the glass at the edges so that it seals any vents or flaws in the edge. The sealing of the vents prevents them from opening and rupturing the glass during the subsequent bending and tempering operations.

By the use of the method of this invention, a large number of glass pieces may be seanied rapidly and the seamed edges are superior to those produced by manual or automatic abrading seaming operations.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, we have herein described the principle of operation of the invention, together with the elements which we now con- Sider the best embodiments thereof, but We desire to have it understood that the structure `disclosed is only illustrative and the invention can be carried out by other means. Also, while it is designed to use the various features and elements inthe combinations and relations described, some of these may be altered and modified without affecting the more general results outlined.

This application is a continuation of application Serial 8 No. 243,148, now abandoned, of Frederick'R. Hohmann and Homer E. Neely for Method and Apparatus of Flame sheet having said edge formed by cutting, comprising translatingtsaidglass sheet relatively with respect lto a substantially continuous thin Sheet of llame at least as long as said edge to cause said arne to limpinge against the center of 'said edge for the entire length thereof, maintaining said edge in such impinging relation for a period of time only sufficient to seam the rough edge surfaeeyand translatingsaid glass sheet out of impinging relation with'said sheet 'of flame to allow the seamed edge surface to harden.

2. The process of ilame seaming the edge of a glass sheet having said edge formed by cuttingfcomprising translating saidglass sheet relatively with respect to a substantially continuous thin sheet of 'llame at least as long as said edge to cause said vflame to impinge against the center of said edge for the entirelength thereof,- maintaining said edge insuch impinging relation for a period of 10 to l15 seconds, suicient to seam the rough edge surface without forming yan enlargement thereon, and translating said glass sheet out of impinging relation with said sheet of flame to allow the seamed edge surface to harden.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 658,466 Rott Sept. 25, 1900 `664,058 Roernisch Dec. 18, 1900 760,959 Connington May 24, 1904 766,514 Nolan Aug.- 2, 1904 `833,436 Borland et al Oct. 16, 1906 993,555 Sanford May 30, 1911 1,577,581 Knight Mar. 23, 1926 2,191,953 Blan Feb. 27, 1940 2,209,252 Stewart July 23, 1940 2,308,062 Drake Ian. 12, 1943 2,347,382 White Apr. 25, 1944 2,372,215 McCormick Mar. 27, 1945 2,521,048 Day Sept. 5, 1950 2,534,547 Eisler Dec. 19, 1950 2,537,165 Smith et al Jan. 9, 1951 2,608,030 Fendrisak Aug. 26, 1952 2,654,181 yLucarelli Oct. 6, 1953 `2,659,181 Yenni et al. Nov. 17, 1953 2,680,332 Young lune 8, 1954 2,697,311 Polan Dec. 2l, 1954 2,746,209 Walters May 22, 1956 i y t 

